Part of New Zealand's export wool trade was the re-pressing of bales of wool to make them even smaller then they were when they arrived at the ports from the countryside. This, of course, was to fit more wool into a given space and thus make shipping more economical. This required force.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT LYTTELTON.
Yesterday afternoon, in the wool stores of Messrs Talbot and Co., at Lyttelton, an accident of a very serious nature occurred to a young man in the firm's employ, named Joseph Gardner, a son of John Gardner, who is a fisherman at the port. When some bales of wool were being dumped in one of the presses, the engineer and the men in the store were startled by a report as if from a gun and the total collapse of the ram and top stand into the cylinder of the press, which is worked by hydraulic power. The Engineer immediately ran to the machine to look to the cause of the trouble, and on looking down in the well saw the body of a man; he got down to it, and found that it was the young man Gardner, who was bleeding profusely from a severe fracture of the skull, which had, judging from the position in which he was found, evidently been struck by the descending platform and ram, with the wool bales on, a weight of about 2 1/2 tons. The young man, who was unconscious, was speedily removed to the casual ward, where Drs. T. O. Guthrie and W. G. FitzHenry examined him. They found that the skull had been severely fractured and the brain lacerated, leaving no hopes whatever for his recovery. The young man had been in Messrs Talbot and Company's employ for some seven years, and was a very industrious fellow. Part of his duties was to oil the ram of the wool press, and it seems that he was engaged in doing this when he met with the accident, as his pot of oil was found lying close to him crushed. Great sympathy is expressed for the parents in their sad trouble. The cause of the collapse of the ram at present is unexplained. It is thought the cylinder must nave given way suddenly, and allowed the water to escape in a volume, thereby allowing the ram to rush into it. The force of the contact between the top of the cylinder and the heavy iron platform at the top of the ram can be imagined when it is stated that on being examined it was found to have broken clean in two. -Press, 11/12/1888.
CHRISTCHURCH.
December 14. The lad named Joseph Gardner, injured by an accident at Talbert's wool stores, Lyttelton, on Monday, died this morning. -Wanganui Herald, 14/12/1888.
LOYAL CITY OF NORWICH LODGE, No. 4356, LYTTELTON.
MEMBERS of the above Lodge are Requested to Meet at the Hall To-morrow (Sunday), at 8 p.m. sharp, to attend the Funeral of our late Bro Joseph Gardner.
Sister Lodges invited.
GEO. COLLINS, N.G.
GEO. DIMOND, Secretary. -Star, 15/12/1888.
INQUEST.
THE LYTTELTON ACCIDENT.
An enquiry was held on Saturday into the circumstances connected with the death of the lad Joseph Gardner from injuries received while working at Talbot’s wool store in Lyttelton on Monday last. Mr C. Whitefoord was Coroner; Mr E. Percival was Foreman of the Jury. The following evidence was taken :-
Charles Boyd, engineer: Was in the employ of Messrs Talbot and Co., of Lyttelton, at their wool stores. Knew deceased, whose duties were to occasionally grease the machinery, &c. On the afternoon of Dec. 10, saw deceased carrying coal at about 2.30 o’clock. A few minutes after this something went wrong with the machinery. Went down into the well, taking a lamp. As he was turning round he noticed a man lying with his head against the bottom plate of the press. Gave an alarm, and found the man to be deceased. Dr Fitz Henry was called, and the sufferer was removed to the ward. The "following” plate of the machine was split. It fell down about 8ft. It weighs about one ton. Did not tell deceased to grease the ram, but if any of the men had told him he would have done it. The ram has since been taken out, and the cylinder was found to have burst. The machine was worked by hydraulic power, and probably the pressure was about three tons to the square inch. The machinery has been in use since 1871; it was new then. Could find nothing wrong with the metal used in the construction of the gear. To the Coroner: There are four pumps, each fitted with a safety valve. There was no extra strain on the gear on the day of the accident. The pressure was that which was ordinarily used.
Edward Warrington, a labourer: We were putting bales of wool into the press. At about 2.30 p.m saw deceased between the two presses on the lower floor. About two minutes after this an accident occurred. Do not know the cause. Did not tell deceased to go down; thought he was cleaning the screws at the time. He would do that without being told by anyone.
To the Foreman: The wool being pressed was York’s scoured, and took extra pressure. It was not usual for a man to report himself before going down to grease the ram.
Samuel Shepherd gave corroborative evidence.
Dr W. G. Fitz Henry gave evidence as to the injuries received by deceased. The skull was fractured, the wound being starshaped. Death resulted from injury to the brain.
George Croll, Government Inspector of machinery: Had examined the machinery. The bursting must have been caused by over-pressure. There are safety valves on the pumps, and unless the valves were loaded, extra pressure could not be carried.
Charles Boyd, recalled: The valves were not loaded. Had worked at the same pressure for the last seven years. The Jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of "Accidental death,” and suggested that the greasing for the future should be done in the dinner-hour, when no wool was in the press. No blame was attached to any one in connection with the working of the gear. -Lyttelton Times, 17/12/1888.
Town & Country.
The remains of the late Joseph Gardner, the victim of the accident in Lyttelton last week, were interred in the Church of England Cemetery yesterday. The Lyttelton Oddfellows’ Band, of which the deceased was a member, played the Dead March in Saul, and the funeral was attended by members of the Oddfellows' Lodges and Stanmore Brass Band, besides a large number of other friends. -Lyttelton Times, 17/12/1888.
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